Multiple Camera Intro
NDI
SportStream Camera uses NDI to support multiple camera angles. You can use any NDI video source as an addtional camera. NDI is a low-latency technology for sharing video over a network.
NDI requires both the sender and receiver of video to be on the same netowrk (wifi or ethernet). Transmitting video wirelessly (via wifi) requires a fast, stable network to transmit data. For best results, it is recommended to use additional devices running the SportStream Camera app in remote camera mode, and connect the remote camera directly to the main app device's hotspot.
While many cameras include support for NDI, there are also tools available to generate NDI from various sources. For example, using the Screen Capture NDI Tool made available by Newtek, you can mirror your laptop screen via NDI and use it as a camera source in SportStream Camera!
SportStream Camera - Remote Camera Mode
You can use another iPhone/iPad running SportStream Camera as a remote camera. When using another device running the app as a remote camera, there are some additional features not available to other cameras / video sources.
Remote Camera Activation
When in Remote Camera mode, users of the remote camera can tap a button (or use a connected controller) to make their camera angle the current streamed video, or to return to the main camera. This means that both the user of the main instance of the app (that is streaming) and the remote camera instance can control when the remote camera becomes active.
Remote Camera Replays
When running in Remote Camera mode, replays can be captured by the user (using a connected controller), and are also captured automatically when the main app triggers a replay. Replay clips captured by the app in Remote Camera mode are saved locally to that device. The main app can request other app instances in Remote Camera mode to play the replay - so when running multiple cameras, you can have multiple replay angles.
Dynamic Frame Rate
When running in Remote Camera mode, when the remote camera is not the active angle, the frame rate is reduced to limit network usage. When the remote camera becomes the active source, the framerate is increased to the desired value.
This means that no matter how many devices you have running the app in Remote Camera mode, there is never more than one full framerate video feed being sent across the network at any time. The non-active instances are sending frames frequently enough to update the thumbnail previews on the main app.
Any iPhone or iPad can be used as a remote camera, as long as it meets the minimum system requirements for SportStream Camera. The app is free to download, and to use the app as a remote camera does not require a subscription on that device. The remote camera device does not need to be on the same iCloud account as the main app - you can use anyone's device!